Part One

On Your Marks

Chapter One

Blood- But not a lot

The last thing I remember is the gentle rocking of the boat, lulling me into a place of calm happiness. I remember the morning sun on my face, the cool water lapping at my heels, feeling myself drifting off… That is, until I felt the splash of some very cold water hitting me in the face.

I'm on my feet in seconds. There's a dagger in my hand, and I'm about to send it flying towards my attacker, until I see a familiar boy clutching a bucket, while on all fours, laughing his head off. I growl. Instead of a knife, I'm about to hurl a lot of well placed insults at him. Obviously he can tell, so he speaks up, and just makes it worse,

"Wakey, wakey, sleepy head." He's grinning at me, which brings on a scowl.

"What do you want, Jason?" The boy's name is Jason Menti. He's been my best friend since forever. Well, not best friend, all my friends are girls, he's my best guy friend. And, though I hate to admit it, he's incredibly cute. Which I try to ignore. -Who doesn't think a guy with amazing chocolate-coloured hair, and shocking green eyes cute?- Anyway, I really try not to bring that topic up, because I friendzoned him when we were both six. And I absolutely refuse to admit I did something wrong.

"Ummm." He pauses for effect. Putting as much sarcasm into the word ummm. "Maybe the fact that I want to tell you that it's reaping time?" And suddenly I'm very glad that he woke me up. Splashing water onto my face is nothing compared to what the peacekeepers would have done to me if they found me here instead of at the reaping.

"Okay then." I pause, and suddenly I have a wonderful idea. "Come here, and help me up." I hold out my arms, and he doesn't hesitate to help me get to my feet.

"I just-" His voice breaks off. Well, I break it off, by pushing him over the sail boat.

"Tori!" His voice is spluttering, it's not always easy to speak while treading water, but he still manages to sound angry.

"Yes?" I keep my voice innocent, just because I know it will infuriate him more.

"I will-" Suddenly, I drown out his voice, because I can see a shape heading towards him.

"Jason!" I point towards the shape. I can see a fin poking out of the water. I don't know if it's a dolphin or a shark yet, but I get my dagger ready anyway.

"That's a shark. THAT'S DEFINITELY A SHARK!" His voice went amazingly high pitched. I would have never have expected a male's voice to go that high. I could make fun of it later. But I focus more on sending my knife flying towards the fish.

It hit its mark. The dagger impaled the heart of the fowl creature. Blood filled the water incredibly quickly. I got a rope, and swung it over the side.

"You'd better get my dagger." I put just an inch of a threat into the words.

"Or what? You'll throw me to the sharks? You've already done that."

"Or I'll take out the rope, and you can swim to shore, with at least half a dozen sharks trailing you. Seeing how much blood you've got on those clothes, you wouldn't get very far."

"You'd better not!"

"Or what?" I parrot his words back to him.

"Then I'll…" He trails off, unable to come up with a good threat.

"Well you'd better hurry up, I think the rope's getting tired."

He quickly scrambles up it, then turns to me.

"Sadly, the thing is, I can imagine you pulling it away from me. You're just that evil." He says it while handing me my dear knife.

"You compliment me." He laughs.

"Hey, Miss Arrogant. Confidence is going to get you killed in the Hunger Games."

"But I'm not about to turn into a sniveling fool, though. Am I?"

He can't come up with a good enough answer, so he just takes to glaring at me. I smirk back at him. He knows that if I'm put into the Hunger Games, I will come out.

"Are you still going to volunteer?" He suddenly goes all serious. He'd been begging me not to go for a few months, even though we both know that I don't really have a choice. I sigh, and turn to him.

"I have to. They're going to kill my family if I don't, and you know that. So stop trying to dissuade me."

"Fine. I'm just trying to say. You might not get back. Oliver's going in there with you as well, and have you seen what he can do with a spear? And that's not to mention that he hates you."

"That weirdo? Trust me, he has no chance. The fact that he absolutely loathes me just makes him even more weak." I pause to study Jason's facial expression, but he gives nothing away. "Plus, I've been watching him. He's good with a spear, yes. But only the spear. I'm amazing with all weapons. I'll be fine." Neither of us mention the other careers. I don't know what I'm up against when it comes to them.

"Yes, but-"

"But what? Stop worrying yourself. I repeat, I will be fine."

"Fine. Let's go. They're going to kill us both before the Hunger Games if we're late." We go home, and change clothes. We meet each other at the entrance to the town square, I stop Jason.

"Race?" I only need to ask once. He grins back at me.

"You bet."

"On your marks."

"Get set." He adds.

"GO!" We both sprint towards the reaping stage. And as I look at him, I can tell we're both laughing.

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